Physiotherapy can help your find relief for your back pain and sciatica
According to the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, back pain is the most commonly reported pain across the nation, and one out of every four people has experienced back pain in the past 3 months.
Back pain and sciatica differ but are often confused with one another. Back is specific to the upper, middle or lower back. Sciatica is a term meaning ‘leg pain’ and is more diffuse, radiating down to the buttock, thigh, lower leg and even foot. The term ‘radiculopathy’ is used when a patient describes numbness, tingling, burning or sharp shooting pain into the leg. This is often associated with a herniated disc or entrapment of the nerve as it exits the spine.
Do you wake up in the morning with an achey, stiff back? Does the pain radiate into your buttock or leg? Are you careful with your activities due to fear of hurting your back? If so, physiotherapy can help!
How can Physiotherapy help with my back pain or sciatica?
While back pain and sciatica are both painful and unfortunate conditions, both can be successfully treated with physiotherapy. Our physiotherapists will develop a personalized treatment plan for you based on your diagnosis.
For most, back pain will come and go, however, it is a wise decision to get professional guidance as soon as you notice it! If this is not done, it can lead to a worsening condition, altered gait, muscle weakness and a more chronic condition.
The first stages of your physiotherapy treatment plan will be geared toward providing immediate pain relief. This may include education, modalities and manual therapy. As your pain improves, your physiotherapist will broaden your treatment to include therapeutic exercises to stretch tight muscles and strengthen your core muscle groups. This reduces the risk of re-injury to your spine.
To help loosen the sciatic nerve, our physiotherapists will recommend specific neural mobilizations and stretches as part of your sciatica treatment plan. This quickly restores the nerve’s natural health and will work to alleviate your symptoms.
Lastly, your physiotherapist will also show you how to use ergonomic techniques to protect your spine while doing everyday tasks like sitting at a desk or driving.
What’s the difference between back pain and sciatica?
Sciatica
Sciatica is a specific type of condition that can be highly uncomfortable. People with sciatica experience pain along the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in your body.
The sciatic nerve begins at your lower back and then splits at the base of your spine to extend anteriorly down to the front of your thigh, knee and leg and posteriorly to your buttocks, legs, and finally ends at the bottom of each foot. The sciatic nerve can become compressed or irritated, which causes a “shooting,” “stinging,” or “burning” sensation in your lower back, buttocks, legs, or feet.
Back pain
“Back pain” is a very broad term that can be caused by an array of different conditions. For example, you may experience back pain due to having poor posture, a motor vehicle accident, or an injury sustained while lifting something heavy.
Back pain can be described as acute, meaning it is short-term, or chronic, meaning it is long-term (typically lasting for three months or longer).
The treatment plan that our Newcastle physiotherapist sets up for you, will depend on how you developed the back pain, in addition to its exact location and your past medical history.
What caused my back pain or sciatica?
General back pain typically develops as the result of an injury. This can be due to repetitive straining motions, such as leaning down multiple times throughout the day to pick up a toddler, or a more serious, sudden trauma, such as a motor vehicle accident. Underlying conditions, such as herniated discs, can also cause immense pain, and cause radiculopathy pain to the thigh, leg, or foot. Degenerative disc disease is a common condition as we age, which can result in back pain. Those with this condition typically report dull, aching pains in their lower back, and have difficulty with prolonged standing or walking.
Sciatica’s technical name is “lumbar radiculopathy.” People who develop this condition are generally between the ages of 30 and 50. Many different types of injuries can cause the development of sciatica, including arthritis, bone spurs, or any other injury that impacts the sciatic nerve. Most commonly, we find that people lose their flexibility in the hips and pelvis, which causes the gluteus and hip muscles to become tightened. This in turn, alters the mechanics of the spine, and compression to the sciatic nerve as it travels through these tissues.
Get started on a treatment plan today
If you are experiencing the symptoms of back pain or sciatica, find relief with Newcastle Physiotherapy and Sports Rehab. Request your appointment to get started on the first steps toward recovery and living a comfortable life.